Jude, after making Prince Cardan the High King without his knowledge, begins her ascent to power as his seneschal. Jude wants to protect her brother Oak, her family, herself, and her stance in the court of fairie. But the High King hates her despite having to obey her every word, and her adoptive father, the general, is still plotting against her. The Queen of the Undersea is also planning to wage war and joins hands with Prince Balekin. Jude tries to maintain her power through the High King even after her oath is over. In the end, she does, but only after passing many obstacles along the way and losing what she so wanted.
I liked The Wicked King a lot more than the first book because it went straight into the action. I really enjoyed the new dynamic between Cardan and Jude and how it changed from the first book. I disliked Jude’s feelings about the mortal world, but I do believe it fit her character. Those who enjoyed the first book of the series, fantasy, fantasy romance, and faerie stories would enjoy reading this book. I would rate this a 4 out of 5. It was a very interesting read, and the ending was very shocking as well.